Mike and I went down to our local
shelter to adopt a new family member. We met a vibrant young
shepherd, there was no question in his mind, he wanted out and he
was coming home with us! We named him Duke.

Duke was a playful young pup and on
a pretty spring day, all of our lives changed forever. While puppy
playing, a dog jumped on his back and severed his spinal cord. We
were told several times to euthanize him, “ he would have no quality
of life.” Duke's surgery was not successful, and his wheelchair defined
him for the next 13 years of his life. Duke was still vibrant, fun,
and slowly becoming the voice for dogs in need. When we adopted Duke
and took him home it, was a commitment thru sickness and health. He
was part of our family.

A few months later we heard about
another dog in need named Misty, who had been living in a NY shelter for over 5
years. Nobody wanted Misty because she had hind leg problems, and
also
needed a wheelchair. Hundreds and hundreds of people passed her
cage, not even giving her a chance. We went to NY and adopted her
immediately.

After experiencing the
impact of Duke and Misty on our family and everyone they met, we soon realized there was NO support or
education for dogs and cats with physical disabilities. We started a
grassroots organization and called it Pets with Disabilities. It
quickly
took on a life of its own!

For the past 15 years, Mike and I have dedicated our lives to our
mission. We both had full time jobs, but within a few years, I
decided to leave my small business and dedicate myself fully to
rescue work. We thank Duke for entering our life and making us
better people. This certainly has been a labor of love. A mission
and legacy that will continue long after our physical being has
left.

Thank you for the human team that has evolved over the years to make
PWD one of the best rescues for “Pets with Disabilities”.

We believe in treating animals the way we would like to be treated. Our facility has all the comforts of a cozy home. My husband and I have worked and thought very
hard to make a difference in the sheltering of our dogs in rescue. We also wanted our volunteers to
enjoy their work. The rescue is behind our home and sits before acres of forest. We believe our
facility is one of a kind in our area.

From the outside - this climate controlled
building looks like a modern barn. The barn sits on a beautiful tranquil
setting in southern Maryland. A great place for dogs to come and heal.
Each 10x10 apartment is furnished with a comfy dog beds, peanut butter
Kong's, knucklebones, and most important each apartment has a window. We
believe light is essential for all living creatures. Also, no dog runs here
at PWD - ONLY free range exercise. The dogs have access to approximately
three acres and are out several times a day. We pride ourselves on making
sure each dog is comfortable, safe and stress free during their stay here!

The Barn

.

The Barn

The PWD "apartment building" is a second floor
that holds the administrative offices and dog-friendly furniture.
Several times throughout the day, dogs will come hang upstairs for some
quality time that is more like in a home environment.

The PWD facility also has two Annex apartments.
These are used for dogs that need to recuperate from surgery or need a quiet
environment - as many of the heart worm positive dogs coming into rescue
require. They have their own fenced area around the buildings.
The buildings also have heat, AC, windows, and music playing for the dogs.

Maddie Annex (Maddie was attitude on wheels - our third and smallest
wheelchair dog) This is our annex for smaller dogs with disabilities. A safe
haven for them, since our barn is usually filled with bigger pups.

The Annex "apartments" are
also equipped with remote access cameras, allowing us to monitor the dogs on
a 24X7 basis.

Misty
Annex (Misty was a feisty corgi mix
and our second wheelchair dog. She became Duke's mom and staunchest
protector!) This is another nice quiet area for dogs that are recuperating
from surgeries and or heartworm treatment.

The Casey Annex and
Adoption Center is named after a true ambassador for the
3-legged dog. (Casey was a sweet chocolate Lab that went everywhere
with Joyce, loyal and happy to meet anyone.) This cozy climate
controlled annex is a versatile space for our rescue. We utilize
this area for meet and greets with potential adopters, events, and
for larger dogs that need a quite homelike atmosphere for heartworm
treatment or surgery rehabilitation.

We respond to dogs that no other
rescue will help - giving them the opportunity and time to heal. We
provide ALL the necessary medical and nutritional care these dogs
will need for a second chance. We have been focused on the daily TLC
these dogs are so deserving of and we have witnessed the
transformation of broken spirits and bodies into healthy, vibrant
dogs anxious to find their forever families.

The unbroken spirit of the disabled dog is a humbling
experience. We provide just a little TLC and it's returned 10
fold. All of these dogs work to get ready for their new homes -
complete with wagging tails, big smiles, and a huge heart to share.
It's so important that we are able to continue helping dogs with
disabilities.

Pets with
Disabilities has succeeded for over 15 yrs because of the gifts
these dogs choose to share - teaching and opening hearts. They
have taught us:

Living with a wheelchair dog, it is a labor of love.
Although their back legs may no longer be mobile, their spirit
is certainly not broken. They are still the same dog you once
loved and will continue to enjoy life with a little help from
their family. The biggest challenge to most people is time, it
will take time to put their dogs in and out of their wheelchair
for daily exercise, it will take time to clean, many wheelchair
dogs will have accidents, so you will have to invest in clever
ways to keep it manageable. We have an area for our wheelchair
dogs that is easy to clean and they feel like they are part of
our family. The most amazing thing to witness was watching our
border collie, Kiri still be able to herd sheep in a her
wheelchair or watching Duke, enjoying his trail walks, even the
most challenging he conquered in wheels. Seeing a dog a
wheelchair enjoy life is the true meaning of unconditional human
love. We are here to help with other questions and support when
needed.

Living with a blind dog is very similar to living with a sighted dog -
many of the blind dogs at the rescue where born blind, so they are
fearless in their movements and have acute hearing and smelling
senses. They may bump into something, but it's usually only
once. When we open the apartment doors - they come out the door,
down the hall, and into the yard without missing a beat. They will
all jump up on their futon beds, and they like toys, and some how they
always know where their person is for the hugs and belly rubs. We
really like our blind rescues to have a fenced yard and railings on any
stairways. We encourage you to open your heart to a blind dog - they
will repay you with their huge heart!!

Living with a deaf dog has many advantages! You can come in the
front door, put your coat and bags down before they know you're there and
the greetings begin. They are not thunder phobic. The door bell
does not create chaos. Deaf dogs create a tremendous bond with their
guardians - all communication is done with sight, so their eyes are always
"on you". We have met many people that have enjoyed
learning "doggie sign language" and gotten creative in their
heart connections to their dogs. Deaf dogs seem to wag their tails
as hard as any hearing dog. They love to chase their toys, cuddle, get
belly rubs, and be with their person. If you'd like a companion that
won't complain about your singing voice or how loud you keep the TV - but
will completely bond to your heart and moods - experience the
special relationship the deaf dogs love to have.

Living with the 3 legged dogs and dogs with other physical
disabilities - at Pets with Disabilities. We know these dogs have
physical "disabilities" you can see - but they certainly don't
have a disabled spirit. They manage their missing leg or
physical imperfection without missing a beat. Their hearts
are open, their eyes pleading for acceptance. They may not
be running marathons, but they will win your heart.

We also KNOW their spirits are NOT
broken. Thank you for your interest in our work.